


Free Now

by mychemicallyromance



Category: Pierce the Veil, Sleeping With Sirens
Genre: M/M, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Past Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 09:07:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7428631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mychemicallyromance/pseuds/mychemicallyromance
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Whenever there is a new person in the group, Dr. Daniels makes everyone speak about themselves, and the new person has to speak on their relationship and their name. Kellin remembers how meek the newcomer’s voice was when he told everyone what his name was. “Vic,” he had said to everyone—it was almost like a whisper, a secret for everyone to hear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Free Now

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Idea Turnstile (jatty)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jatty/gifts).



> so this was supposed to be written about 2 weeks ago because i promised jatty that i would if she updated dogs. here. lol

Kellin always liked waking up every Tuesday now, and it wasn’t because he was a morning person—no, far from it, actually, but it was because of his meetings. They weren’t normal meets, like business meetings, but they were meetings for people who needed help getting out of abusive relationships, and it’s what helped him get out of a four year relationship that included vicious abuse, but when he started going to these meetings, he stopped messing with Andrew.

The meetings really were helpful, everyone in the group knew that, and it was so open. Anyone could speak their minds or say their problems, and the group director was always there to speak in private too. Dr. Daniels was a woman everyone could become friends with—even she had a horrible past and this is why she decided to start this runaway group. It gives people courage—especially newcomers—to see that life after running away isn’t bad, that you will get over all of the trauma and get your life back. It would take work, yes, but it wasn’t all bad.

It took Kellin awhile to runaway from Andrew, and it was mostly because days after starting the meetings, Andrew broke Kellin’s foot, which had him on rest. It seemed like every chance he had gotten, the more farther away it seemed, until one night he was able to escape all of this chaos. He was homeless for awhile but still tried to attend the meetings, even getting help from some of the other members that let him sleep on their couch or gave him extra toiletries, and blankets. Mostly, it was ladies. But, in the end he had gotten himself a job, a small apartment, and everything seemed okay.

Kellin was the only man there for quite some time before another man had walked in. Kellin eyed him as he walked in, he looked all broken and sad, and Kellin could relate as the shame filled his face at the amount of women in that group, until their eyes locked for a hot second. Kellin saw the other man shudder before sitting down across from him, and Kellin could tell that they would relate in someway or another. They were both men who had their masculinity stripped away from them in the most embarrassing way that there ever was.

Whenever there is a new person in the group, Dr. Daniels makes everyone speak about themselves, and the new person has to speak on their relationship and their name. Kellin remembers how meek the newcomer’s voice was when he told everyone what his name was. _“Vic,”_ he had said to everyone—it was almost like a whisper, a secret for everyone to hear. This group almost was a secret.

“ _Can you tell us about yourself, Vic?”_ Dr. Daniels had asked, her hands clasped together when she looked at Vic. Vic was small, very small, and he looked sad and broken, and torn from limb to limb. Vic had the whole pathetic victim thing going on, like every newcomer, but he wasn’t putting it out there on purpose, unlike some of the people there.

“ _I-I, uh….What do you mean?”_ Vic scowled at Dr. Daniels, not really understanding the full question.

“ _Tell us about yourself,”_ she had said again, her eyes were still on Vic.

After Vic started telling his story, it was then that Kellin and Vic clicked. Vic had almost the same story as Kellin, and that’s what had brought them closer together—friends, even. It was still a reason why Kellin kept coming to these meetings. Really, he didn’t need them anymore, but it was such a relief to see Vic coming there as he had only been there for maybe six months, tops.

Kellin cared for Vic and his safety after he heard what had happened to the poor man. His boyfriend, Sam, had tied him up one night and it was all supposed to be something new to try in the bedroom, but Sam was too sadistic and raped Vic. That was the only start of all of Vic’s trauma. There had been a time where Sam broke both of Vic’s wrists, and feet, and many more injuries. However, not all of them were visible, and it left scars mentally for the longest time and that had made it hard for Kellin (or anyone, really) to get close to Vic, even the counselor. Vic was so reserved until Kellin actually tried and was nice. It was a reason they both continued going even after they got their life together—that Vic was better and had a place to call his own, even got a job.

However, today was different. After Kellin woke up, he decided to get Vic a gift as a token for their friendship and all of their accomplishments that they had gone through, and Kellin was very proud at what Vic had done for himself. It wasn’t easy, Kellin could tell that to anyone who had never gone through that situation or someone coming out of that situation—you have to push yourself if you really want to do that. Honestly, it was all up to the person.

Kellin had gone through store after store until he found the right thing for Vic, and it was small and mostly a gag gift, but it was funny. Kellin knew that Vic loved coffee, so he got him a mug that looked like a prescription bottle, and he knew Vic would enjoy this. As he walked towards where the group meetings were held, and walked right inside as he waited for Vic to come inside.

Although Vic was usually the last one to come in, he was unusually late this time. It made Kellin worry because as a survior you always have that chance of running into your attacker and submitting yourself to them if you hadn’t turned them in, which happened a lot, actually. But Vic was doing so good that Kellin hoped—prayed, even—that was not the case for Vic. Vic was actually a sweetheart and was nice to everyone besides himself, he was a selfless person and he wanted to make everyone happy, Kellin had noticed.

But when Vic stepped inside the group, sitting his gift down briefly before picking it up again when he took his seat, Kellin looked at him and noticed a bruise and a scratch on him. Kellin felt his heart and stomach drop so far down to the ground because he fucking knew it—some people relapsed, a lot actually, and it hurt him to see that they fell back to before after trying so hard to get away from their attackers. But it hurt worse when he seen the marks on Vic, and he wanted nothing but to hold him, but he was also scared for Vic’s well-being and angry that Vic had let himself fall for those old ways.

The meetings seemed to drag on and on before Dr. Daniels had dismissed everyone. Kellin raced towards Vic, scowling almost as he made his way towards him as he gripped the bag in his hands, the one that held Vic’s gift. It startled Vic, Kellin could tell, but before Vic could speak, Kellin spoke his mind.

“Seriously? You went back!” Kellin said, his voice filled with hurt as he kept looking at the mark on Vic’s face. It wasn’t extreme, but it was still _there_. “You were making such good progress, Vic. How could you?!”

Vic scowled with confusion. “What are you talking about?” he asked.

“That mark.” Kellin pointed out, almost touching Vic’s face. “Don’t play stupid.”

“Those? God, Kellin, I fell,” Vic said, smiling and chuckled a bit. “I was moving things in my apartment and I fell.”

“But that’s what _all_ the victims say, ‘oh, this? I fell’. You know that.”

Vic chuckled a little more. “Seriously. Do you think I _really_ want to go back to Sam?” Kellin shook his head but before he could speak, Vic interrupted. “Come with me.”

XXX

Now that Kellin thought about it, they never went to each others house, but they trust each other enough that they know neither one of them will hurt the other. Maybe that’s why Vic brought Kellin here to his small apartment, and it was actually in a nice apartment complex. The small apartment was on the first floor, which made it less of a walk for them when Vic turned the car off and led Kellin to where he lived.

The apartments were spaced apart enough so it didn’t seem like they all lived on top of each other—except for the apartments that were above or below—but there were flowers and small children played in the yard as their parents watched them, and some of the kids were playing near the swing sets not far off from the apartments. It seemed so innocent. There wasn’t any trash and it never looked dirty, in fact, the trash bin was on the other side of the complex.

“Come on,” Vic said, ushering Kellin out of his thoughts and grabbed his hand to basically drag him to his apartment. The hand-holding was short lived as Vic fished his keys out of his pocket and started to unlock his door, struggling as there was something in the way of the door, but he managed.

“Ugh.” Vic looked around his place, and that’s when Kellin noticed all the boxes that were around his house that were unpacked. “See. I told you.” Vic sent a teasing glare and walked further into the apartment to start making coffee and that’s when Kellin realized he still had Vic’s gift but he ended up leaving it in his car.

“Is your car unlocked? I forgot something,” Kellin asked, biting his lip as he really did want to give Vic the mug before forgetting about it. Vic handed him the keys to unlock it and Kellin ran to the car to grab it, smiling at the small gift, and ran back towards him.

“Here,” Kellin said, handing the entire back to Vic, and smiled as he watched Vic open it and pull the mug out.

“Oh my god,” Vic said, laughing a little bit. “You know, as cheesy as this is, I’ve always wanted one of these but never brought myself to buy one.” Vic hugged Kellin tightly before saying, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Kellin said, pulling away from the hug after Vic did. Vic washed the mug out before using it when the coffee was done brewing.

“Do you want some?” Vic asked, referring to the coffee. Kellin nodded and accepted the mug after Vic poured it for him, offering him sugar and creamer, but politely declined as he sipped on the black coffee.

“Ew, Kellin, I don’t know how you drink it black,” Vic said, snarling up his nose as he poured a shit ton of sugar and creamer into his own mug. “It’s bitter.” Kellin shrugged and continued to sip slowly to not burn himself. “Want to watch TV and order pizza?”

XXX

They finished a movie and a half before getting bored, all the pizza was gone, and Vic was much closer to Kellin before all of this started, but there was no complaints there. It was innocent, nothing more than being close and cuddling, and even friends did that, right? Friends cuddled. Kellin wasn’t entirely sure if he was ready for anything more than friends right now, and he hoped it was the same for Vic so he wouldn’t have to hurt his feelings. It was the last thing he wanted to do.

“This movie is boring,” Vic complained, ejecting the movie from the player and putting it back into the case. “Do you want to watch another or watch TV, in general?”

“Uh...whatever you wanna do,” Kellin said, getting out of his head and looking at Vic.

“Choose,” Vic said, handing Kellin the box of DVDs that he had. It was mostly scary movies, action movies, and very little comedies, but there was one zombie movie that caught his eye and handed it to Vic. “Ah. Yes. I like this one,” he said when he grabbed the DVD.

During the movie, Vic got closer to Kellin and he didn’t know if it was intentionally or not, but if Kellin was honest, he actually liked this. It was innocent, just like Vic, and he never wanted it to end. It was nice to have such a nice touch and not expect anything out of it, and it was cute to see Vic trying not to fall asleep, and hearing his quiet snores when he did.

Kellin never wanted this to end.


End file.
